Jamshedpur FC and Odisha FC will square off against each other at the ISL 2020-21 on Sunday after losing their first match to Chennaiyin FC and Hyderabad FC respectively.
Jamshedpur FC looked like a fresh side with Owen Coyle guiding them against his former team, but they delivered a lackluster performance. They conceded a goal in the very first minute of the game and gave away a penalty in the 26th minute which was duly converted by Isma. Nerijus Valskis pulled one back in for Jamshedpur with a header around ten minutes later, but that wasn't enough to save his team from the defeat.
Odisha FC disappointed fans in their outing against Hyderabad FC as well. The team seemed lethargic throughout the match and failed to score even once. Steven Taylor gave away a penalty in the first half and Aridane Santana slotted it in the back of the net. The scoreline remained the same at full-time and Odisha FC succumbed to a narrow defeat.
However, there are plenty of positives to look forward to when Odisha FC and Jamshedpur FC face each other. Some notable players will be in action and they would be crucial to their teams.
Here are 3 players you should keep as your captain or vice-captain while making your Dream11 team for this fixture.
#3 Marcelinho
Marcelinho is undoubtedly one of the best foreigners to have played in the Indian Super League. He has been a part of this league since 2016, and has played 64 matches till now, scoring 31 goals and 18 assists. He is known for his dangerous free-kicks, and he would be expected to show the same magic against Jamshedpur.
Although Marcelinho had a forgettable first match this season, a player of his stature will comeback stronger than before. With an average of 0.75 goals+assists in the ISL, he is expected to be on the scoresheet or assist someone else to be there. That is why Marcelinho is a safe pick to captain or vice-captain your Dream11 team.
#2 Manuel Onwu
Manuel Ownu was a surprise package in the 2019-20 season of the Indian Super League. After having a few disappointing games with Bengaluru FC, he was loaned to Odisha FC and he never looked back. He played 10 matches for them, and scored 7 goals and 2 assists. He looked totally different from what he was at Bengaluru, and that prompted Odisha to sign him permanently.
Like Marcelinho, Onwu too had a disappointing match against Hyderabad FC. But his goal-scoring ability cannot be doubted. When he plays upfront for Odisha FC, the chances of him scoring will be high, which is why he should be considered as the captain in your Dream11 team.
#1 Nerijus Valskis
The Lithuanian was the winner of the Golden Boot in the 2019-20 season, and his goal-scoring prowess has been widely documented. After having a slow start, he had a complete turnaround under Owen Coyle. He went on to score 15 goals and had 6 assists in 20 matches for Chennaiyin FC, averaging more than one goal or assist per match.
As Owen Coyle moved to Jamshedpur FC as the head coach, Valskis followed him there and showed glimpses of his former self in the first match of this season. He scored once against Chennaiyin FC, and showed the fans that they can once again expect him to score lots of goals.
Needless to say, Valskis is a definite pick not just for your team, but also as the captain or the vice-captain.